Finger cover for operating capacitive touchscreen devices

ABSTRACT

A finger cover for use with capacitive touchscreens devices is described. The finger cover includes a flexible rear panel having opposing sides between ends of the flexible rear panel, defining a length of the flexible rear panel, at least equal to the distance measured between the tip and the first joint of the user&#39;s finger. The rear panel has a width generally equal to one half the circumference of the user&#39;s finger. An elastic band connects opposing sides of the rear panel at a location near the first joint of the user&#39;s finger. An electrically conductive panel joins the opposing sides of the rear panel, joins the rear panel along the first end and joins the elastic band.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to capacitive touchscreen displays and more particularly to devices for activating touchscreens.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Touchscreens are generally known. Such devices can be used in information processing systems whenever information must be displayed and an input is required from a user.

Touchscreens have replaced display/keyboard combinations in many situations wherever space is limited or wherever aesthetics require a relatively uncluttered user interface. Examples include telephones, copiers and tablet computers. Touchscreens have gained wide acceptance because of their versatility and cost.

One of the major advantages of touchscreens is that there is no difference between display and control areas. This is important because the size of the display and/or control areas are interchangeable and can be dynamically adjusted during use to accommodate the input needs of a user or functionality of the device.

Typically, a processor operates in the background to display information in a display area along with a control image (e.g., a keyboard). The computer monitors the control image to detect which portion of the image is activated by the user. Whenever a user touches a particular position of the control area, the computer accepts the control input associated with that position.

Touchscreens typically operate by monitoring a screen parameter (e.g., resistance, capacitance, etc.) in predefined areas of the control area.

A resistive touchscreen panel includes two thin, electrically conductive layers separated by a narrow gap. When an object, such as a finger, presses down on a point on the panel's outer surface the two metallic layers become connected at that point. This causes a change in the electrical current, which is registered as a touch event and sent to the controller for processing.

A capacitive touchscreen panel consists of an insulator such as glass, coated with a transparent conductor such as indium tin oxide. Since the human body is also an electrical conductor, touching the screen's surface distorts the screen's electrostatic field. This distortion is measurable as a change in capacitance. The location is then sent to the controller for processing. Unlike a resistive touchscreen, one cannot use a capacitive touchscreen through most types of electrically insulating material, such as gloves. This disadvantage especially affects usability in consumer electronics, such as touch tablet PCs and capacitive smartphones in cold weather.

While capacitive touchscreens work well in general, some people have difficulty in using such devices. For example during the winter, the skin of many people may dry out making it difficult to activate areas of capacitive touchscreens. If cold-weather requires a user to wear gloves outside, it is difficult the user to operate a capacitive touchscreen if the gloves themselves are not made of a conductive material, unless the user carries another instrument, such as a conductive stylus. Also, under ordinary use with bare hands, a user's skin oil may leave unsightly smudges on the capacitive touchscreen, requiring frequent cleaning. Alternatively, static electricity may affect the way that the surface of the capacitive touchscreen reacts to activation. Accordingly, a need exists for better methods and apparatus for using capacitive touchscreens.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 depicts a finger cover shown in a context of user under an illustrated embodiment;

FIG. 2 shows a side view of the finger cover of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 shows a bottom view of the finger cover of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 4 illustrates the process of placing the finger cover of FIG. 1 onto the finger of a user.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF AN ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENT

FIG. 1 depicts a device 10 adapted to fit on the end of the finger 12 of the hand 14 of a user. The device 10 is structured to fit snugly onto the end of the finger 12 and is especially adapted for activation of the capacitive touchscreen 16.

In this regard, the device 10 may be referred to as a finger cover even though the device 10 differs in both structure and function from prior art finger covers. In this regard, the finger cover 10 includes a conductive panel that facilitates activation of the capacitive touchscreen 16 and means for snuggly fitting the cover onto the user's finger to provide for accurate contact with the touchscreen.

FIGS. 2 and 3, respectively, show side and bottom views of finger cover 10. In this regard, the finger cover 10 may include a rear panel 20, a conductive panel 22 and an elastic band 24. The finger cover 10 forms a closed end tube preferably sized to fit onto the tip of a user's forefinger with the conductive panel 22 directly adjacent the pulp of the user's finger (the fleshy mass on the palmar aspect of the extremity of the finger).

The rear panel 20 may consist of an elongated strip of flexible material of a length at least equal to the distance from the end of the user's forefinger to the first joint from the tip of the forefinger. On an even more preferred embodiment, the strip may extend from the end of the finger to the second joint from the tip of the finger.

The rear panel 20 may be made of any stretchable material that conforms to the tip of the user's finger. In some embodiments, the rear panel 20 may be of a flexible knitted material such as cotton. In other embodiments, the rear panel 20 may be a relatively thin layer (e.g., ⅛ inch thick) of foam rubber, either lined or unlined.

The rear panel 20 may be of a width that extends half way around the user's finger. The remainder of the circumference around the user's finger adjacent the tip may be covered by the conductive panel 22.

The conductive panel 22 may be any relatively thin, flexible material that easily conforms to the pulp of the user's finger and that presents a low resistance (e.g., less than 5 Ohm) between the user's finger and the touch panel 16. For example, the conductive panel 22 may be a conductive nylon weave having an elastic knit in two directions are at right angles to one another. The elastic knit in two directions allows the conductive panel 22 to have a double stretch direction (wrap and weft). In effect, the panel 22 stretches in two directions at right angles to one another. In this regard, elasticity may be imparted by a mix of fibers including 78% nylon and 22% of an elastomeric material.

Conductivity may be imparted to the conductive panel 22 by plating or otherwise coating the strands of the nylon weave with a conductive metal (e.g, silver). Alternatively, conductivity may be provided by mixing a material providing high conductivity (e.g., carbon) with the material forming the strands of the knit fiber.

The conductive panel 22 may be joined to the rear panel 20 along a seam that extends parallel to the user's fingers along both sides from the first joint of the user's finger to the tip and then around the tip, thereby defining a closed end tube. The seam may be formed by any appropriate joining technology (e.g., sewing, ultrasonic heating, etc.).

The closed ended tube defined by the rear panel 20 and conductive panel 22 may also include an elastic band 24. The elastic band 24 may be joined on opposing ends to the opposing sides of the rear panel 20 at a location of the rear panel 22 defined by the distance from the tip of the user's finger to the first joint.

Also included as part of the finger cover 10 may be a tab 26 of the rear panel 20 that extends from the first joint 28 of the user's finger towards the second joint 30. The tab 26 may be used to pull the finger cover 10 snuggly onto the user's finger.

For example, FIG. 4 may be used to depict the process that may be used to place the cover 10 on the finger of a first hand (e.g., the right hand) of the user. In this regard, the user may grasp the tab 26 between the forefinger 38 and thumb 40 of the left hand 36 of the user. The user may then place the open end 42 of the cover 10 proximate the tip 34 of the user's forefinger of the right hand 34 as shown in FIG. 4. Once so positioned, the user may then use the tab 26 to pull the cover 10 over the tip of the user's finger so that the closed ended tube completely covers the user's finger between the tip and first joint 28 and with the distal end of the tab 26 proximate the second joint 30 of the user.

The cover 10 substantially improves the dexterity and effectiveness of the user in activating control areas 18 of the capacitive touchscreen 16. In this regard, the conformance of the conductive panel 22 allows for only a small portion of the finger cover 10 make contact with the screen at any one time. The conductivity of the conductive panel 22 allows that small area of contact to form a path of low resistance from the capacitive touchscreen 16 to the finger of the user. The cover 10 does this by forming a broad area of contact with the user's finger while only forming a small area of contact with the touch panel 16. The large area of contact with the user's finger reduces resistance by spreading out and reducing the localized nanocurrents between the touch panel 16 and surface of the skin on the user's finger. This substantially improves the sensitivity of the touch panel 16 to contact with the user's finger.

The finger cover 10 provides significant benefits over prior art devices. For example, the finger cover 10 only covers the user's finger from the tip 34 to the first joint 28. This makes the cover finger 10 significantly more comfortable than a conductive glove that could otherwise be used to cover the user's entire hand.

Also, the conductive panel 22 is formed of a relatively thin material that easily conforms to the surface of the user's finger much like a conformal coating painted onto the user's skin. The thin nature of the panel 22 provides good tactile feel when the user touches the panel 16 while reducing the resistance of the small area of the user's finger that makes contact with the touch panel 16.

In addition, the conductive panel 22 offers very little resistance to movement laterally across the touch panel 16 and allows the fingers to experience a “frictionless glide” or “frictionless user experience.” This is important for many applications involving continuous use such as gaming applications.

In general, the device 10 may include a flexible rear panel having first, opposing sides extending between a first and second end of the flexible rear panel, the opposing first sides defining a length of the flexible rear panel, the length at least equal to the distance measured between the tip of a user's finger and the first joint from the end of the user's finger, the flexible rear panel having second, opposing sides that extend between respective ends of the first sides, the second sides defining a width of the rear panel, the width generally equal to one half the circumference of the user's finger, an elastic band that connects opposing first sides of the flexible rear panel at a location measured from the first end that is substantially equal to the distance between the tip of the user's finger and the first joint and an electrically conductive panel that joins the opposing first sides of the rear panel, joins the rear panel along the first end and joins the elastic band.

Alternatively, the device 10 may include a fabric tube having a closed end and an opposite open end, the tube having a diameter substantially equal to a diameter of a user's finger and a length on a first side at least equal to the distance measured between a tip of a user's finger and first joint from the end, the fabric tube having a panel of conductive material on the first side of the tube proximate the closed end.

In other embodiments, the finger cover 10 may be constructed in any shape consistent with the size of the user's finger so long as the finger cover 22 can be retained in taut conformance with the user's finger tip. Similarly, the outside of the finger cover may be decorated with imprinting and/or additional shapes. This allows the finger cover to display various animal or character designs, to appear to be a finger puppet, or display advertising or promotional material.

In another embodiment, the conductive panel 22 could be placed on opposing sides of the device 10. This would offer the further advantage that the user could wear out one side and simply reverse the orientation to continue use.

In addition, a user could place the finger cover 10 on multiple fingers at the same time. This has the added advantage that the user could use multi-touch gestures to activate the touch screen 16.

A specific embodiment of method and apparatus for activating a capacitive touchscreen has been described for the purpose of illustrating the manner in which the invention is made and used. It should be understood that the implementation of other variations and modifications of the invention and its various aspects will be apparent to one skilled in the art, and that the invention is not limited by the specific embodiments described. Therefore, it is contemplated to cover the present invention and any and all modifications, variations, or equivalents that fall within the true spirit and scope of the basic underlying principles disclosed and claimed herein. 

1. A device comprising: a flexible rear panel having first, opposing sides extending between a first and second end of the flexible rear panel, the opposing first sides defining a length of the flexible rear panel, the length at least equal to the distance measured between the tip of a user's finger and the first joint from the end of the user's finger, the flexible rear panel having second, opposing sides that extend between respective ends of the first sides, the second sides defining a width of the rear panel, the width generally equal to one half the circumference of the user's finger; an elastic band that connects opposing first sides of the flexible rear panel at a location measured from the first end that is substantially equal to the distance between the tip of the user's finger and the first joint; and an electrically conductive panel that joins the opposing first sides of the rear panel, joins the rear panel along the first end and joins the elastic band.
 2. The device as in claim 1 wherein the length of the rear panel further comprises a distance measured between the tip of a user's finger and the second joint from the end of the user's finger.
 3. The device as in claim 1 wherein the electrically conductive panel further comprises a woven fiber of silver coated nylon.
 4. The device as in claim 3 wherein the woven fiber further comprises an elastic knit.
 5. A device comprising: a fabric tube having a closed end and an opposing open end, the tube having a diameter substantially equal to a diameter of a user's finger and a length on a first side at least equal to the distance measured between a tip of a user's finger and first joint from the end, the fabric tube having a panel of conductive material on a second side opposite the first side of the tube, the panel of conductive material is proximate the closed end.
 6. The device as in claim 5 further comprising an elastic band that extends at least partially around the open end of the fabric tube.
 7. The device as in claim 5 wherein the closed end fabric tube further comprises an extension on a first side that extends the second side to a second joint of the user's finger.
 8. The device as in claim 5 wherein the first and second sides further comprise fabric materials joined along the margins.
 9. The device as in claim 8 wherein the fabric of the second side further comprises foam rubber.
 10. The device as in claim 5 wherein the electrically conductive panel further comprises a woven fiber of silver coated nylon.
 11. A finger cover comprising: a closed end tube, the tube having a diameter measured by a diameter of a user's finger and a length measured by a distance from a tip of a user's forefinger to a first joint of the forefinger; and a conductive portion of the closed end tube disposed proximate the tip of the forefinger on a side facing a palm of the user's hand.
 12. The finger cover as in claim 11 further comprising a flexible rear panel having first, opposing sides extending between a first and second end of the flexible rear panel, the opposing first sides defining a length of the flexible rear panel, the length at least equal to the distance measured between the tip of a user's finger and the first joint from the end of the user's finger, the flexible rear panel having second, opposing sides that extend between respective ends of the first sides, the second sides defining a width of the rear panel, the width generally equal to one half the circumference of the user's finger.
 13. The finger cover of claim 12 further comprising an elastic band that connects opposing first sides of the flexible rear panel at a location measured from the first end that is substantially equal to the distance between the tip of the user's finger and the first joint.
 14. The finger cover as in claim 13 wherein the conductive portion further comprising an electrically conductive panel that joins the opposing first sides of the rear panel, joins the rear panel along the first end and joins the elastic band. 